Re: Dimmable CFLs and UK government ban

["rb_ziggy" <rb.lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've just come back from the Housebuilding & Renovating Show /
Smarthome.  These units were on display and I had quite a long talk
with the gent who, I think is the MD and developer.

These are really much much better than anything I've seen before.  The
20w dimmable unit is brighter and whiter (well no surprise on the
second point) than a 100w bulb - its too bright to look at undimmed.

Dimming seems to work very well down to very low levels and they have
intelligence built into one version in that you can set the level and
it remembers next time its switched on.

I noticed a slight lag when turned on initially.  Otherwise good.

As said below, only in bayonet and screw at the launch but they aim to
do a GU10 in 6 months.  But... I don't think it will a straight switch
into existing fittings.  I think he was saying it would be a complete
unit that would fit into a ceiling hole etc and would be fully sealed
(new building regs perhaps???)

For me - definitely something to watch out for.  Nice to see an
innovative, quality product.

Richard


>
> These look v interesting but they only seem to come in bayonet or
screw
> fitting (e22, B27) rather than GU10 or similar.  This makes sense as
they
> look closer in dimensions to a standard bulb but much too long to fit
in
> many downlighters.
>
>
>
> My current plan is to have "main lights" on a switch using
CFLs of
one sort
> and then "aux lights" on a dimmer.  I'd like these to be
low-energy
but as
> someone mentioned it doesn't look like CFL is the right technology
and maybe
> superbright LEDs are, but not yet.
>
>
> >So can we get back to the point of slagging off CFLs now ...
>
>
>
> Both CFLs and LEDs need to be developed if they are to replace GU10
type
> fittings.  I cannot see them introducing a ban until there is a GU10
type
> replacement.  Given the variation in dimming technologies for CFLs I
hope
> that low-energy GU10 replacements will work with standard trailing
edge
> dimmers.and two wires . but to be on the safe side I'll probably
install
> 3-core + earth cable.
>
>
>
> FWIW there seems to be a ban in Australia coming up, anyone know
what C-bus
> are doing in this area?  As it is their home market they should be
ahead of
> the europeans.
>
>
>
> > One of the things that has put me off CFLs is that early on it
was
> > recommended not to switch them on and off frequently since this
> > drastically reduced their life. But none of the greenie sites
ever
> > seem to mention this, so it's not clear to me whether this
problem
> >has  been fixed or merely swept under the carpet on the basis that
it's
> > better to leave 25% of the energy consumption on all the time
than
> > light it 25% less.
>
>
>
> It would be good to have an answer to that one . sounds like a
problem for
> Which? Or similar to look into.
>
>
>
> Jon
>
>
>
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>